Automobile restraints typically comprise some form or forms of belts, having, typically, two parts that connect to each other to permit ingress and egress into the system while providing means to hold a passenger or vehicle operator within the seat. As is well known, such belts typically comprise, respectively, a portion with a buckle and a portion with an insert for attachment within the buckle. Both seat and shoulder belts comprise similar elements and modern restraint systems combine both a seat and shoulder belt, such that a three point restraint system is established.
Such restraint systems, while forming an operable and sufficient system for use by an adult are typically ineffective for use by a child, or anyone under a certain height and weight. In order to compensate for height and weight considerations many systems have been developed to make an adult seat and shoulder belt fit a smaller individual. Typically such modifications to adult-sized restraint systems are ineffective and cause dangerous conditions, such as the child slipping beneath the shoulder belt and out of the restraints, to occur.
Other systems, such as booster chairs and child restraint seats have been developed which more readily and safely utilize the built in restraint systems to provide a safer environment for a child. Unfortunately, such systems are large, heavy and bulky and are difficult to transport from automobile to automobile, causing parents to neglect the use of such systems, particularly when going from vehicle to vehicle or when on vacation and utilizing rental cars or taxis.
We have developed a child restraint system wherein a vest for a child safety is provided. The vest, which is the subject of copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/177,312, filed Jun. 21, 2002, and presently pending, and is a continuation in part of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/354,700, filed Feb. 5, 2002, and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/083,083, filed Feb. 26, 2002, and presently pending, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/968,066, filed Oct. 1, 2001, and presently pending, and claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/236,854, filed Sep. 29, 2000, all of which are incorporated herein in their entireties as if set forth herein, includes means to safely and securely attach a child to an automobile restraint system. These devices, however, tend to utilize standard hook systems to attach the seat and shoulder belts to the vest. While such a system is entirely effective and easy to transport and use, between cars and on vacation, the points of contact between vest and the vehicle restraint system can causes stresses on the wearer of the vest during increases inertial reactions, such as a sudden deceleration or stop (as in an accident).
It would be desirable to have a means of connection between such a vest and a vehicle restraint system that would minimize the stresses formed in such situations. Such a vest would utilize advanced technology to transfer the stress and energy of an accident to an element of the supplemental restraint system rather than to the passenger.